Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A Merry December!

Dear Friends,

Can it really be the first of December? It must be, for whisperings of Christmastide are in the air~
The small dolls have even put their trees up (which they harvested themselves)!

(Photographs by the Graham girls :) )


Elvis lends a willing hand~



Farmer Jim seems to have his hands full, taking care of the horses~


And AnnaMarie has made an Advent Calendar for Frankie and Evangeline to open.

We have been enjoying reading our collection of old women's and children's magazines, and came across this gentle reminder from "Mother's Magazine", 1910, which we would like to share with you.

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"The Need"

By Zelia Margaret Walters

A mother who had to be mother and bread winner both for her child, had often to deny the child's requests, saying, "Mother hasn't time now. She must write to earn bread and butter and shoes and stockings for you."

One day the little girl responded with one of those amazing speeches of wisdom that so often fall from the lips of babes:

"I don't want bread and butter and shoes. I want my mamma to play with me."

Mothers are constantly denying the children their companionship because of the multitude of little things in life that must be attended to. But the children, if they could voice their real needs, would say, "We do not need so much baking and cooking and cleaning and sewing done for us, and we do need our mothers."

No one can doubt that the mother and housekeeper has her hands full. Too often she has more than she should do. But we know that time can be always found for the absolutely necessary things. Why not put the children's needs among the first things, and let the less important fall into line behind?

In almost any home the hour after the evening meal could be kept for the children. The careful housewife may exclaim in horror at the thought of setting the dishes away to be done the next morning. But let the mother consider how much good that hour of song and story and confidential talk and counsel may do for her growing, eager, adventurous boys and girls. How lightly and thoughtlessly they go into their untried ways! And what may come to them if mother has forgotten to be companion and counselor! Surely the children's hour is the most important in the allotment of mother's time.

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Love,

Marqueta

24 comments:

  1. dear mama
    i like your post merry December and i like how annamarie decorated wood ranch (my doll home)
    i love you and i like you:)
    love~tasha

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  2. how funny with the barbie dolls--i found one in my tree yesterday too. just sitting on a branch...LOL! Happy December to you too! Watch for the Christmas moon tonight

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  3. I loved this post! (Especially getting to see Elvis and Farmer Jim ~ hilarious!)
    This article on mothers reminds me of my sweet girls when they were in (High) school. They would come home and walk in the door calling out, "Mom?". I would answer, "Yes?".
    "Just wanted to know you were here!"
    (Funny thing is, I was always there. I don't think I ever let them come home to an empty house!)
    I still want to be available to them at anytime, though they are both married and living far away. They have my phone numbers! ;~}
    Blessings!

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  4. This was a wonderful post...the dolls and elvis ~ very funny :)

    But the rest was just so thought provoking. As a homeschooling mother, I am here all day. But there has been times when I have had to work for a church function or because I have had too many sewing orders ~ then the boys have complained that I am not available to just talk.

    I feel so blessed to be a stay at home mother.

    Blessings to you dear friend,

    maria

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  5. The elvis photo was hilarious indeed.

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  6. Dear Marqueta,

    My my!! Elvis helping with the tree! I'm surprised Barbie was able to stay focused on decorations at all! But Elvis is such a gentleman, and I am sure the Barbies at your house are well behaved and appropriately lady like.

    I loved the writing about the children's hour. Thank you for the reminder of how important that time is.

    Love,
    Lynn

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  7. A Merry December to you~
    dear! :) Isn't this month
    glorious sigh?! :)

    *sigh*

    Many Blessings~ Miss Jen

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  8. Isn't it interesting that even back then women still worried about not spending enough time with their children. I guess it's true that history repeats itself.

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  9. well, the dolls sure are busy around your house! How fun! Yes, can you believe Christmas is so close? the days are flying by...

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  10. dear mama,
    Elvis is annamarie and annamarie is good at decorating.
    i love you and i like you:)
    love~tasha

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  11. Dear Mama,
    I like the post, and it was fun getting the Christmas trees for the dolls and decorating was fun too, but the Presley's tree kept falling down, so we got another one, but it kept falling down,too, so hopefully the one they have now doesn't fall down!:.)
    I love you and I like you!
    Love,
    Audrey

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  12. Dear Mama,
    I like the post, and it was fun getting the Christmas trees for the dolls and decorating was fun too, but the Presley's tree kept falling down, so we got another one, but it kept falling down,too, so hopefully the one they have now doesn't fall down!:.)
    I love you and I like you!
    Love,
    Audrey

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  13. DEAR MAMA,
    I LOVE YOU AND I LIKE YOU!
    LOVE,
    AUDREY

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  14. Hello dear friend! I am finally getting caught up with blogs! I have missed reading yours!

    This post is just too wonderful! I love the dolls and all their Christmas preparations. I wish I could read the old magazines and books with you! :)

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  15. I really like the quote - this is such a balance but when one really considers what is important... they are only children for such a short time.
    Blessings.

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  16. The Graham sisters took some wonderful photographs of some very busy dolls! And to capture an Elvis sighting! They must have been thrilled. Merry December to your family ~praying you are all feeling well Thanks for sharing such wonderful wisdom on motherhood. Our precious children are only little for so long we must enjoy these days with them that we have to hold them. I am off to play :D Blessings Heather

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  17. Thanks for sharing the article from all the way back in 1910! wow, basically a hundred years old! That is exciting in itself, but even more rewarding is the message. How very true :O) I was able to spend a little time doing some Christmas visiting and wanted to come by and say to you Merry Christmas, but I think I shall say Merry December too!

    Oh and I have to make mention of how sweet your children are... the little comments here they have left you~ surely they love their momma dearly!

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  18. So true... so very true.
    Love dolls "Christmas", especially Farmer Jim lol
    Patricia

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  19. How fun that you have an Elvis doll! We love Elvis! =)

    And what a great reminder to make time to be with our little ones. They really do love to just have our presence, don't they?

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  20. I love my dolls! I guess I have never grown up.
    Hoping you have a lovely day!
    Blessings))

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  21. What a thought provoking post. It really is so easy to get busy with our busyness and not take time with our children...and time with them goes by so quickly that before we know it they are almost grown. We've been making a priority of consciously putting time aside to do just that. What a lovely reminder you've posted though.

    And Elvis to help put up the tree!?!? Wonderful. ;-) Yesterday I was enjoying listen to Silver Bells sung by Elvis.

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  22. Marqueta, have you ever read this book? I think you might enjoy it. :-)
    Sarah Ban Breathnach's Mrs. Sharp's Traditions: Reviving Victorian Family Celebrations Of Comfort & Joy

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  23. Dear Marqueta and Children,

    Your dollies look as if they are having a grand time decorating for Christmas! How nice of AnnaMarie to make a Advent Calendar for Frankie and Evangeline!

    Your friends,
    Diane and daughter Sarah

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Thank you for coming to visit — I look forward to hearing from you!